The E-Waste Database
A database of information on e-waste, transition minerals, critical raw materials, and the just transition.
E-waste results from discarded electrical and electronic equipment. How can we tackle the fastest-growing waste stream?
How much e-waste is shipped from high governance to low governance regions? What are the impacts of this?
What is happening in the battery and EV sectors? What are the recent industry developments?
What is the circular economy? Could sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing and recycling be the answer?
What could a just transition look like in the context of critical raw material sourcing, mining, and recycling?
What court cases have there been on planned obsolescence? What about on conflict minerals?
What resources will we need for the upcoming energy transition? How can we ensure stable supply chains?
What is happening in the e-waste, critical minerals, and metals recycling sectors?
What laws and policies on renewables are in place globally?
What are the environmental impacts of mining critical materials, waste shipments, and (informally) recycling e-waste?
What due diligence obligations do electronics, technology, and renewable energy companies have globally?
- Christine Nikander21hEducation on E-Waste🌱 How much e-waste originates from toys? Toys are a considerable source of e-waste. Roughly 7.3 billion e-toys – so an average of one toy per person on Earth – are discarded each year. These include car racing sets, drones, electric trains, music toys, and talking dolls, amongst others. According to a recent survey by Cartoon Network, most children (87%) have at least one e-waste item at home. The top three e-waste items amongst children were toys, headphones, and tablets. Many children said that “they store e-waste items at home or throw them away”. The lack of knowledge on proper disposal methods shows that there is a need to better educate children and/or their parents on the topic. 🌱 Do children know what e-waste is? According to the survey by Cartoon Network, 70% of children – aged 6-11 across the EMEA region – had either “not heard of e-waste” or they were aware of e-waste but were “not sure” or “had no idea what it means”. The survey also showed that children in Poland (47%) and South Africa (28%) “are more familiar with e-waste” than children in the UK (19%) and France (17%). Polish children (81%) are also “more likely to link e-waste with the correct definition” compared to children in the UK (26%) and France (19%). 🌱 What does Cartoon Network plan to do to raise awareness? Cartoon Network has partnered up with Envision Racing to raise more awareness around e-waste. Based on the results of the survey, the two plan “to launch a cross-platform EMEA wide campaign to inform, engage, and empower children about e-waste”. The planned campaign “aims to raise awareness and understanding through new, fun, relatable, and inspiring content designed to encourage action”. 🌱 What new resources will there be? The Cartoon Network channel will air new video content on e-waste, which includes a video guide to e-waste “that explains what e-waste is, why it’s an important issue and the basics of how we can help tackle it”. Additionally, Cartoon Network plans to “share weekly uploads to its social and YouTube channels to help broaden reach”. Children will also be able to find content on e-waste – such as challenges, facts, informative videos, quizzes, trivia, and voting cards – in the “Cartoon Network Climate Champions” app and website. 💡 Are you interested in learning more about the material and energy use, environmental and social impacts, and EU regulations that apply to the different life stages of an electric vehicle battery? Then, have a look at Palsa & Pulk’s new interactive visual. Read more about Cartoon Network’s campaign here: - https://advanced-television.com/2024/07/01/survey-70-of-children-in-emea-never-heard-of-e-waste/ - https://www.broadcastprome.com/news/cartoon-network-emea-and-envision-racing-to-create-awareness-of-electric-waste/ - https://campaignme.com/cartoon-network-collaborates-with-formula-e-team-to-curb-climate-change-on-roblox/ - https://campaignme.com/cartoon-network-collaborates-with-formula-e-team-to-curb-climate-change-on-roblox/ - https://communicateonline.me/category/industry-insights/post-details/envision-racing-teams-up-with-cartoon-network-on-roblox - https://envision-racing.com/envision-racing-cartoon-network-launch-roblox-game-to-engage-kids/ - https://worldscreen.com/tvkids/new-survey-on-childrens-knowledge-of-electronic-waste/ - https://worldscreen.com/tvkids/new-survey-on-childrens-knowledge-of-electronic-waste/ - https://www.productsofchange.com/cartoon-network-responds-to-worrying-e-waste-data-with-envision-racing-campaign/ - https://www.teui.ca/ceuhtml/78r351022ced46/
- Christine NikanderJun 25Just Transition🌱 How are Indigenous peoples impacted by the energy transition? Indigenous peoples are particularly strongly affected by transition mining. According to the UN, over half of the “transition materials [are] located on or near land where Indigenous people live”. Moreover, “85% of […] lithium extraction projects [are] on or near land managed or inhabited by Indigenous people.” Moreover, a 2021 report from MSCI Inc. found that “97% of nickel, 89% of copper, 79% of lithium and 68% of cobalt reserves and resources in the U.S. are located within 35 miles of Native American reservations”. 🌱 Why is it important that Indigenous peoples’ rights are factored in? The failure to address issues around human rights and Indigenous peoples’ rights can lead to community backlash – and ultimately threaten progress in the energy transition. To avoid this, stakeholders from the private and public sector should make sure that “fair negotiations” are held with affected communities and that the prosperity created through the energy transition is shared. Human rights and environmental due diligence plays an important role in this. The creation and enforcement of regulations protecting the environment and human rights is also key. 🌱 Are Indigenous peoples’ rights being upheld by the renewable energy sector? Indigenous people’s rights continue to be an area were “serious allegations” frequently occur. According to the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre, the policies and practices of many renewable energy companies “remain poor on land rights and the rights of Indigenous peoples”. While some companies have put in place policies around “respecting the rights of human rights and environmental defenders”, the sector as a whole “must do more to explore new business models that give local communities and Indigenous groups a seat at the table through benefit- and ownership-sharing mechanisms”. 🌱 What aspects are missing from most company policies? The 2023 Renewable Energy & Human Rights Benchmark found that “[p]olicies and practices on Indigenous Peoples’ rights and land rights remain poor”. Many companies fail to provide sufficient access to information, fail to meaningfully engage with communities, and do not assure that and free, prior & informed consent is acquired. Additionally, many companies provide inadequate access to remedy and grievance mechanisms to harmed individuals and communities. 💡 Are you interested in learning more about the human rights, labour, and social issues that can occur in the life cycle of an EV battery? Then, have a look at the interactive visual on Palsa & Pulk’s website. Read more about Indigenous peoples’ rights here: - https://www.business-humanrights.org/en/big-issues/natural-resources/shared-prosperity-and-indigenous-leadership-hub/ - https://www.business-humanrights.org/en/blog/learning-from-success-in-renewable-energy-indigenous-leadership-shared-prosperity/ - https://www.business-humanrights.org/en/from-us/briefings/fast-and-fair-achieving-a-just-energy-transition-in-africa/ - https://www.business-humanrights.org/en/from-us/briefings/renewable-energy-benchmark-2023/ - https://www.business-humanrights.org/en/from-us/briefings/transition-minerals-tracker-2022-global-analysis/?utm_source=linkedin_bhrrc&utm_medium=linkedin_bhrrc&utm_campaign=2306TMT&utm_content=social - https://www.business-humanrights.org/en/from-us/briefings/unpacking-clean-energy-human-rights-impacts-of-chinese-overseas-investment-in-transition-minerals/?utm_source=linkedin_bhrrc&utm_medium=linkedin_bhrrc&utm_campaign=2307ChinaTM&utm_content=social - https://www.fordfoundation.org/news-and-stories/stories/indigenous-peoples-and-local-communities-must-lead-the-way-to-a-just-energy-transition/ - https://www.nature.com/articles/s41893-022-00994-6 - https://respectingindigenousrights.org/ Read more about the (business) human rights impacts of transition minerals here: - https://www.business-humanrights.org/en/from-us/briefings/tmt-2021/you-cant-eat-lithium-community-consent-and-access-to-information-in-transition-mineral-mining-exploration-in-europe-and-north-america - https://climate.mit.edu/ask-mit/will-mining-resources-needed-clean-energy-cause-problems-environment - https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-18661-9 - https://foreignpolicy.com/2022/02/07/renewable-energy-transition-critical-minerals-mining-onshoring-lithium-evs-climate-justice/ - https://www.iea.org/reports/the-role-of-critical-minerals-in-clean-energy-transitions/sustainable-and-responsible-development-of-minerals - https://iea.blob.core.windows.net/assets/ffd2a83b-8c30-4e9d-980a-52b6d9a86fdc/TheRoleofCriticalMineralsinCleanEnergyTransitions.pdf - https://unctad.org/system/files/non-official-document/GCF21_s4_Laffont_1.pdf Read the 2021 report from MSCI Inc. here: https://www.msci.com/www/blog-posts/mining-energy-transition-metals/02531033947 Read more about the human rights issues linked to renewable technologies here: - https://amp-theguardian-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/amp.theguardian.com/environment/2022/nov/29/evidence-grows-of-forced-labour-and-slavery-in-production-of-solar-panels-wind-turbines - https://gizmodo.com/over-half-the-worlds-energy-transition-minerals-are-on-1849865104 Read about ways to better address the human rights issues here: - https://www.transportenvironment.org/discover/how-europe-can-improve-the-way-global-extractive-companies-do-business/
- Christine NikanderJun 18Battery Passports🌱 What is a battery passport? A battery passport is in essence a type of “supply-chain tracker”. It provides an insight into the raw materials and components used to produce a battery. Typically, the battery composition, the origin of the materials and components, the proportion of recycled content used, and the carbon footprint of the production are covered. Optimally, the processing locations for critical raw materials, as well as any labour and human rights issues that may arise within the supply chain, are also included. The overall aim of battery passports is to improve sustainable and responsible procurement practices and to create more transparency in complex supply chains. 🌱 How are battery passports relevant for the secondary market? Battery passports can be used to track “battery health over time” and are therefore particularly relevant for the used car market. Rather than merely having to base their decisions on milage, consumers buying used EVs can use battery passports to see “how the battery was cycled over its life”. The life cycle data and battery health included in battery passports can also improve battery recyclability. 🌱 Are battery passports mandatory? As of February 2027, battery passports will be mandatory for all EVs sold in the EU. While the U.S. currently has no specific regulation that requires battery passports, the passports can provide more “traceability to prove [batteries] qualify for EV subsidies under the Inflation Reduction Act”. There are several international efforts around battery passports currently underway, meaning that the passports may become an international standard over time. 🌱 What will Volvo’s battery passport look like? As of the second half of this year, Volvo will be launching a battery passport for its “EX90 SUV” EV car model. This passport is considered to be the world’s first EV battery passport offered by an EV manufacturer. Volvo developed the battery passport together with the British startup, Circulor over the course of six years. In the future, EV owners can access a simplified version of Volvo’s passport by scanning a QR code on the inside of the driver’s door. A more detailed version of the passport will be provided to regulators. Going forward, Volvo also plans to gradually roll out battery passports for all its other EV models. Notably, these passports will also provide “information on the EV battery’s health”. The battery passports “cost Volvo approximately $10 per car for 15 years”. 🌱 What information is entailed in Volvo’s battery passport? Volvo’s battery passport “contains verified data on raw materials [such as cobalt, lithium and nickel], their origins, weight and size, the chain of custody of components and recycled content inside the battery of its EVs”. It also includes information on the carbon footprint and “up-to-date information on the battery’s state of health”. Circulor uses an AI-based system and blockchain technology that “traces battery materials from the mine to individual cars” by “piggybacking on suppliers' production systems”. To calculate the total carbon footprint, the system checks the suppliers' monthly energy bills and the percentage of renewable energy used. When a new supplier is added, Circulor runs an audit to update the information going into the passport. 💡 Are you interested in learning more about the life cycle of an EV battery? Then, have a look at the interactive visual on Palsa & Pulk’s website. Read more about Volvo’s battery passport here: - https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/volvo-issue-worlds-first-ev-battery-passport-ahead-eu-rules-2024-06-04/ - https://www.wsj.com/articles/volvo-says-users-can-track-source-of-battery-metals-in-its-evs-54f6e4f7 - https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/volvos-battery-passport-seeks-improve-ev-supply-chain-accountability - https://www.techradar.com/vehicle-tech/hybrid-electric-vehicles/volvos-new-ev-has-the-worlds-first-battery-passport-heres-why-thats-a-big-deal - https://ev.com/news/volvo-set-to-launch-revolutionary-ev-battery-passport-alongside-ex90-debut&blogId=2752 - https://spectrum.ieee.org/volvo-ex90-battery-passport - https://sg.news.yahoo.com/volvos-ev-worlds-first-battery-193000229.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAALROfs6wISr53mn1tIzBqqIkmRcsc_JOcVVRzLK_WrXx2V2XvvT3eRA5hm7SKTWTktWD4OoM9YyLkX-Yml8zaO9rJnO1VwzlnuGOZSHCVb_YqSHnEm55ujrOWQ_DdX8Uo-CpUz94Ag3kQl1pZxySzsUUSA8B6tiip3up1961d8qO - https://chargedevs.com/newswire/volvo-issues-ev-battery-passport-3-years-ahead-of-eu-requirements/ - https://www.electrive.com/2024/06/05/volvo-pioneers-battery-passport/ - https://newmobility.news/2024/06/06/volvo-introduces-worlds-first-ev-battery-passport/ - https://electrek.co/2024/06/04/volvo-ex90-launch-worlds-first-ev-battery-passport/ - https://batterymetalsafrica.com/volvo-cars-to-introduce-worlds-first-ev-battery-passport-for-ex90-suv/ - https://www.sustainabilityenvironment.com/2024/06/11/battery-passport-the-first-will-be-on-board-a-volvo/ - https://decarbonisationnews.com/2024/06/volvo-to-launch-worlds-first-ev-battery-passport/ - https://interestingengineering.com/transportation/volvo-battery-passport-ev-car - https://www.drive.com.au/news/volvo-to-launch-world-first-electric-vehicle-battery-passport-report/ - https://mediarelations.gwu.edu/media-tip-sheet-volvo-launch-first-ever-battery-passport-electric-vehicles - https://www.cbtnews.com/volvo-cars-introduces-a-battery-passport-to-track-metals-in-ev-batteries/ - https://www.bestmag.co.uk/volvo-launch-worlds-first-ev-battery-passport/ - https://www.dsf.my/2024/06/volvo-set-to-issue-worlds-first-ev-battery-passport-ahead-of-eu-rules/ - https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/sustainability/363356/new-ev-battery-passport-reveals-environmental-impact-electric-cars - https://www.tipranks.com/news/a-global-first-volvo-introduces-passports-for-ev-batteries - https://www.autocarpro.in/news/volvo-to-launch-worlds-first-ev-battery-passport-report--120895 - https://www.team-bhp.com/news/volvo-ex90-be-worlds-first-ev-have-battery-passport - https://news.am/eng/news/827520.html - https://www.arenaev.com/volvo_ex90_will_have_worlds_first_battery_passport-news-3603.php